MCCS program battles stigma toward mental health treatment

Joanne Waithaka, Community Counseling Center Branch Manager, discusses how the CCC can help individuals and families deal with all issues, even everyday ones, at the Brewster Family Center aboard Camp Lejeune.

Maria Sestito/The Daily News

By THOMAS BRENNAN - Daily News Staff

Published: Monday, March 24, 2014 at 11:27 AM.

With its open-door policy, a new voluntary counseling service within the Marine Corps is all about getting service members and families the assistance they need.

Whether it’s just to get something off your chest, to receive couple’s therapy or anything in between, the newly-formed Community Counseling Center aboard Camp Lejeune wants the military community to know it’s OK to ask for help.

“We’re trying to reduce the stigma by making it normal to seek help within the military community,” said Joanne Waithaka, the community counseling center branch manager. “We’re trying to get people involved in treatment so they can get help with their little problems while they are still little problems and things are still manageable. We want people to be OK with coming by making it a welcoming environment.”

The open-door policy and no reporting procedures mean service members and their families are eligible for the variety of services available. The center, which does not diagnose or prescribe medicine, can assist in getting referrals to additional psychiatric care both on and off of the local bases.

Waithaka said the center maintains records of who they see, but should be considered a “medium confidentiality” facility that reports to commands or medical staff only under certain circumstances, such as suicidal, homicidal or fratricidal thoughts or actions; child abuse; and domestic violence. A Marine or sailor’s command, she said, is only contacted if a Marine’s ability to perform his or her duties safely is in question.

Everybody, according to Waithaka, runs into a situation where they could use help managing stress because being a Marine or sailor is a stressful job.

“If it is a diagnosable disorder, that is taken care of by the Naval Hospital but there is so much in between those people who are functioning and those who need a higher level intervention,” said Waithaka, a licensed marriage and family therapist from Massachusetts. “We can help. We can intervene early and get those people back on track so they may not need the higher level of intervention.”

Many people, she said, think counseling is only for people who are schizophrenic, depressed or have a diagnosed mental illness, when in fact, many people go to counseling who just need help coping with the stress of daily life.

“We’re here to work on people’s coping skills and their ability to manage stress,” said Lisa Eaffaldano, a licensed clinical social worker with the Marine Corps Community Services behavioral health branch. “It takes a lot of courage to go talk to a stranger ... That is courage. It takes a lot of strength to make yourself that vulnerable.”

The behavioral health team with MCCS, according to Eaffaldano, asks a lot of questions to understand the problems someone is facing, but with time, a person usually exposes more and more and then, she said, the real progress can be made. Eaffaldano added that great importance is tied to building a professional relationship with your counselor — something that is done through open lines of communication and trust during sessions.

“I think we are turning a corner where it is known in the military that whether your injuries are physical or mental, you need to handle your stuff,” Eaffaldano said. “Before, you would be viewed as less of a performer if you were to seek help for whatever reason. Now, we are seeing that getting help is not being viewed in that same light. There is a big spotlight on treatment now and its benefits.”

For more information on the Family Counseling Program, visitmccslejeune.com/counseling. Aboard Camp Lejeune, call 910-451-2864 for services or call 910-459-3508 for services aboard Marine Corps Air Station New River. To contact the domestic violence hotline, call 910-376-5675.

With its open-door policy, a new voluntary counseling service within the Marine Corps is all about getting service members and families the assistance they need.

Whether it’s just to get something off your chest, to receive couple’s therapy or anything in between, the newly-formed Community Counseling Center aboard Camp Lejeune wants the military community to know it’s OK to ask for help.

“We’re trying to reduce the stigma by making it normal to seek help within the military community,” said Joanne Waithaka, the community counseling center branch manager. “We’re trying to get people involved in treatment so they can get help with their little problems while they are still little problems and things are still manageable. We want people to be OK with coming by making it a welcoming environment.”

The open-door policy and no reporting procedures mean service members and their families are eligible for the variety of services available. The center, which does not diagnose or prescribe medicine, can assist in getting referrals to additional psychiatric care both on and off of the local bases.

Waithaka said the center maintains records of who they see, but should be considered a “medium confidentiality” facility that reports to commands or medical staff only under certain circumstances, such as suicidal, homicidal or fratricidal thoughts or actions; child abuse; and domestic violence. A Marine or sailor’s command, she said, is only contacted if a Marine’s ability to perform his or her duties safely is in question.

Everybody, according to Waithaka, runs into a situation where they could use help managing stress because being a Marine or sailor is a stressful job.

“If it is a diagnosable disorder, that is taken care of by the Naval Hospital but there is so much in between those people who are functioning and those who need a higher level intervention,” said Waithaka, a licensed marriage and family therapist from Massachusetts. “We can help. We can intervene early and get those people back on track so they may not need the higher level of intervention.”

Many people, she said, think counseling is only for people who are schizophrenic, depressed or have a diagnosed mental illness, when in fact, many people go to counseling who just need help coping with the stress of daily life.

“We’re here to work on people’s coping skills and their ability to manage stress,” said Lisa Eaffaldano, a licensed clinical social worker with the Marine Corps Community Services behavioral health branch. “It takes a lot of courage to go talk to a stranger ... That is courage. It takes a lot of strength to make yourself that vulnerable.”

The behavioral health team with MCCS, according to Eaffaldano, asks a lot of questions to understand the problems someone is facing, but with time, a person usually exposes more and more and then, she said, the real progress can be made. Eaffaldano added that great importance is tied to building a professional relationship with your counselor — something that is done through open lines of communication and trust during sessions.

“I think we are turning a corner where it is known in the military that whether your injuries are physical or mental, you need to handle your stuff,” Eaffaldano said. “Before, you would be viewed as less of a performer if you were to seek help for whatever reason. Now, we are seeing that getting help is not being viewed in that same light. There is a big spotlight on treatment now and its benefits.”

For more information on the Family Counseling Program, visitmccslejeune.com/counseling. Aboard Camp Lejeune, call 910-451-2864 for services or call 910-459-3508 for services aboard Marine Corps Air Station New River. To contact the domestic violence hotline, call 910-376-5675.